Shows
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 107 - Holiday SpecialSupport the show and get access to our private discord server: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastFor the first and probably only time, we bring you the Wedgehead Podcast Holiday Special! So, grab a cup of hot cocoa, and listen to us as we run down the best holiday games from pinball's past, what to buy for the pinhead in your life, and a good reminder of what this season is really all about: PINBALL!Warning: We were in the holiday spirit, and the holiday spirit swears sometimes.Support the show
2025-12-1536 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 97 - The Music of Chris Granner w/ Chris GrannerSupport the show & receive a link to our private discord channel to chat with us and other supporters of the show: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this very special episode of the show, legendary sound designer Chris Granner joins us once again. In the last episode we discussed his career, and his artistic process, but in this episode, we listen to selections from 15 different games and over 50 pieces of his music, and Chris tells us about each one.Our first episode covered the artist, and this episode covers the art.Enjoy! But be warned...
2025-08-251h 18
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 96 - Pinball Composer w/ Chris GrannerSupport the show & receive a link to the private discord: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastA very special interview with LEGENDARY pinball composer and sound designer Chris Granner. Chris worked at Williams, Capcom, and Stern and his name is credited on the sound packages of more than 40 pinball machines during his career.He is the man responsible for most of your favorite games, and it was a pleasure to have him on the show.Be warned though, we do swear on this show.More Granner InterviewsChris Granner (2019 Pintastic)
2025-08-181h 21
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 95 - Playfield MultipliersSupport the show and receive a link to the private discord: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode we talk about the invasive species of multipliers that have invaded the old school bonus multipliers habitat and completely overrun it. Alan discusses why he thinks all games are better without them, and Alex argues why they are good sometimes.In case you don't know, we swear on the show.Support the show
2025-08-1156 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 94 - Pinball Hindsight Awards 1985Support the show & receive a link to the private discord chat: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastWe're back to honor another year in pinball history, with the Pinball Hindsight Awards of 1985! This was a major downturn of the industry, but that doesn't mean that there still aren't some great games released this year, and we honor all of them in this episode with some awards given out with the power of hindsight!This isn't network television, so we do swear on the show.Support the show
2025-08-0442 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 93 - John Popadiuk: Pinball's Magic ManSupport the show & receive a link to the private discord channel: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis episode is all about the rise and fall of one of pinball's most magnificent and enigmatic designers, Mr. John Popadiuk Jr., sometimes better known as JPOP in pinball nerd circles. He made a string of some the absolute best games in the 1990s including World Cup Soccer, Theatre of Magic, Tales of the Arabian Nights, and Cirqus Voltaire.But after the closure of Williams' pinball division, and his last production game Star Wars Episode One for the Pinball 2000 platform, the s...
2025-07-281h 04
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 92 - Programmers: The Unsung Heroes of PinballSupport the show and receive a link to our private discord channel: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastJoin us as we discuss with frequent guest on the show Greg Dunlap to discuss the important role that programmers play in the design and development of pinball machines as we talk about all the many different ways that programmers can influence a player's perception positively or negatively through their work.But there's some tasteful swearing present throughout.Support the show
2025-07-2150 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 91 - Stern's Dark Age: Pinball in the 2000sSupport the show & get a link to our private discord server: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis episode features former guest on the show, and dot matrix pinball programmer Greg Dunlap to discuss how Gary Stern ends up surviving TWO pinball extinction events at the turn of the millennium, and then another one at the end of the decade.This is the only era in pinball's long history where there was only a single manufacturer in business. Gary made a lot of tough calls and hard decisions to keep pinball alive during this dark age, and contrary t...
2025-07-141h 00
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 90 - Pinball Hindsight Awards 1990Support the show & get a link to our private discord channel: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis is the first ever award show that attempts to get the calls right, all with the power of HINDSIGHT. So, for this first Pinball Hindsight Awards Episode, we chose the year 1990, and are giving out the test of time awards to games like Dr. Dude, Funhouse, Whirlwind, Rollergames and many more.Warning: adult language and no-no words are used for effect.Support the show
2025-07-0742 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 89 - Die on this Hill: Star Wars Episode OneSupport the show and receive a link to our private discord server: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis episode Alan & Alex are joined on the show to discuss the short-lived Pinball 2000 platform, and Ian defends SWE1, the last game that Williams pinball ever made against a flood of bad reviews.I mention in this episode a fantastic documentary that you should check out, called TILT: The Battle to Save Pinball check it out to learn more about this incredible project.As always though: this is an adult show with adult language.Support the...
2025-06-301h 03
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 88 - Pinball on LocationSupport the show and get a link to the private dischord channel: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis episode is all about why pinball's natural habitat is on location, and why location pinball still matters (and matters much more than private collections) in the year 2025 and beyond. Our whole podcast is basically centered around the importance of pinball being put on location, but this episode in particular is a love letter to on location pinball ...with swearing.Support the show
2025-06-2341 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 87 - Pinball is Supposed to be HARD!Support the show and receive a link to our private discord channel: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis episode is all about the joys and fun that a hard game of pinball brings. For whatever reason this seems to be a minority opinion in the modern era, even though we set out to prove that pinball was always supposed to be hard, and that challenging games are way more fun in the long run.Obligatory naughty language warning. Support the show
2025-06-1657 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 86 - Pinball Economics 101Support the show & receive a link to the private discord channel: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis episode has been teased multiple times over the run of the show, and is a solo episode based upon what I started out writing as a short article about the business of location pinball, the economics of it, and the feasibility of pinball earning money on location. What started out as a short article quickly grew wider in scope, and eventually I just felt like it would make a better podcast episode rather than an article.If you like this e...
2025-06-0953 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 85 - Die on this Hill: Future SpaSupport the show & get a link to our private discord channel: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastGood friend of the show and all-around expert solid state assassin, Ty Palmer joins us on the show once again for his SIXTH appearance to defend his DOTH game, 1979's Future Spa.Designed by George Christian and released by Bally in their golden era, this game is a super wide body with a very weird and very horny art package, but it's also a game that is widely mocked. At least it was, until this episode where Ty sets the record...
2025-06-0233 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 84 - The Bally Table King: George ChristianSupport the show & receive a link to the private discord channel: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis episode is all about the mystery and mystique surrounding Bally's best game designer from their early solid state golden era, previously covered in our Susan B. Anthony Years episode.And just like last time, we are joined by local Solid-State assassin and good friend Ty Palmer to discuss what is all of our favorite designer from this era. For a guy that designed some of the best-selling games of all time, during the pinball's peak era you would think that t...
2025-05-261h 02
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 83 - Soft LicensesSupport the show and get a link to the private discord channel: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis episode we discuss Stern pinball's interesting way of approaching certain licensed games that they make, including their recent games Dungeons & Dragons and King Kong, before we dive into the differences with their earlier Marvel games like Spider Man, Iron Man, or Avengers to what they make nowadays with Deadpool, X-Men, Venom or Avengers (the second time).Roger Sharpe used a phrase called a "Soft License" to denote a licensed game in which the licensor gives a ton of freedom...
2025-05-1950 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 82 - Pinball ShowsSupport the show & get a link to our private discord channel: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis episode was written by Alex, about how to get the most out of a Pinball Show. As the popularity of pinball has grown in the last 5-10 years, so too have the number of Pinball Shows/Expos/Conventions, and there is probably one near you too.Shows can be overwhelming, so listen to Alex & Alan discuss their tips for getting the most out of your weekend!Warning: We are badboys, and so we use badboy language. Su...
2025-05-1243 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 81 - Die on this Hill: South ParkSupport the show and join the private discord channel: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this edition of DOTH, Marcus Petersen from the previous episode about creating a pinball scene in a rural town, is back to defend his love for Sega's final pinball machine: 1999's South Park.I am sure everybody has heard of the show at this point, but this game was released after the first two seasons of the show. The pinball machine is nowhere near as well loved as the IP it's based upon, which is we are covering it as Marcus' Die...
2025-05-0543 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 80 - Rural Operator Spotlight SeriesSupport the show and join our private discord server: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis episode we are joined on the show with Marcus Petersen, who became a pinball operator in Lassen County, in Northern California near the Lassen National Park in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.Susanville is the biggest city in the county with less than 10,000 residents, so Marcus really had a small pond when he decided to first start operating pinball machines.Marcus speaks to us passionately about the importance of community building and offers lots of fantastic advice for anyone listening who...
2025-04-2858 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 79 - Licensed ThemesSupport the show and join our private Discord server: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis the follow-up episode to Episode 76: Original Themes, and in this episode, we explore the licensing wars in the early 90s through the lens of Joe Kaminkow at Data East pinball and their shift from original themes to only making licensed games. We talk about how Williams and Gottlieb follow suit and compare sales strategies amongst the companies.Then we end up discussing the major shift in pinball buyers from operators to home collectors, and how that has forever shifted the landscape moving f...
2025-04-2157 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 78 - Sopranos Pinball w/ George GomezSupport the Show and get a link to the private discord channel: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis episode we are joined by the Underboss of the Stern Family, Mr. George Gomez to discuss the single most popular location game in the Portland pinball scene and celebrate the 20th Anniversary of its release.George tells us stories about the production of the game, working with Lyman Sheats and Chris Granner, as well as answering our questions about the psychology of game design, and why he believes his games are so appealing to new players.Warning...
2025-04-141h 08
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 77 - Die on this Hill: Bally Dungeons & DragonsSupport the show and join the private discord server: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastOn this episode, we have a listener from the New England area Josh who wants to talk about the first Dungeons & Dragons pinball machine released in 1987 by Bally. It's a famously hard game with very weird inlanes, so it should be no surprise that it is not well loved by most pinheads.But Josh came on to set the record straight, and respond to all the haters.Warning: We swear on the show. Always have and always will.Support th...
2025-04-0742 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 76 - Original ThemesSupport the show & join our private Discord server: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis is a good one, where we discuss how Williams was able to prove that during the renaissance period of the late 1980s and 1990s, they were able to design, manufacture, and most importantly, SELL the crap outta their original theme games.In this episode, we talk about how Williams beat their competition with original themes and then discuss why almost all of the modern original IP themes suck.Warning: we swear when we get worked up, and we definitely get worked...
2025-03-311h 15
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 75 - Die on this Hill: Raven w/ Scott DanesiSupport the show & join our private discord channel: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastScott Danesi rejoins us on the show to defend his love of Gottlieb Premier's Raven, the lowest rated game that we have ever featured on the show! Scott goes on the record with why he thinks Raven is actually great and confronts and addresses all the bad internet reviews.Standard warning: We curse on this show; in case you weren't aware of these fact in the first 74 episodes of this podcast.Support the show
2025-03-2443 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 74 - The Mind of Scott DanesiSupport the show & receive a link to our private discord server: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode, we are joined on the show by the patron saint of making pinball challenging again, Scott Danesi. Scott works a full time job at Pinball Life as a multidisciplinary engineer, creating replacement pinball parts for all of us to benefit from, but he also famously has designed 3 (as of this recording) production pinball machines.Scott is also one of the nicest dudes in pinball, who just so happens to make some of the meanest games in modern pinball, a...
2025-03-171h 13
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 73 - Gottlieb System 3: The End of an EmpireSupport the show: https:/ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode we discuss the final chapter of Gottlieb as a pinball manufacturer. The prevailing narrative around these games is that they're all terrible, but that's simply not true. There was a bunch of talented individuals working at Gottlieb at this time, making some very interesting games on extremely tight deadlines, with few resources and we wanted to highlight their talents and work.You may know these games by their pointy boy flippers, or their killer custom music compositions, but we hope that after listening to...
2025-03-101h 23
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 72 - Operator Spotlight: Astoria PinballSupport the show: https:/ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastWe are joined on the show by our friend Todd Robinett, to discuss creating a pinball scene from scratch in a small town near the Oregon Coast. He operates pins in his two businesses: the Merry Time Bar, and the Labor Temple Diner.When Todd first moved out to Astoria, there were no pinball machines. Now Astoria has 45 pinball machines on location in a town of 10,000 people, and Todd operates about half of these games.Todd tells us all about his rare games strategy, the initial co...
2025-03-0344 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 71 - Women's Competitive PinballSupport the show: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIFPA director, and former women's world champion Zoe Vrabel is back on the show to discuss the past, present, and future of women's competitive pinball. Zoe tells us all about the rise of competitive women's pinball, and what she would like to see in the future.Stream the Women's World Championship March 29th-30th on Twitch through Backhand PinballLocal Portland Women's events mentioned in the show:Gator Queens - Every last Monday of the m...
2025-02-241h 02
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 70 - Legendary Women of the Pinball IndustrySupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode, Alan is joined on the show by Zoe Vrabel, an IFPA director and former Women's World Champion to discuss some of the legendary women who have worked in the pinball industry, and we discuss their impact on the games that we all know and love.....but, we do swear sometimes.Support the show
2025-02-1749 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 69 - Die on this Hill: High Roller CasinoSupport the show: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis episode our special guest Glenn Waechter (of the Saw Homebrew machine) joins us on the show, to Die on the Hill for Stern's 2001 game, High Roller Casino.This early stern, rare non licensed title wasn't well received upon its release, as evidenced by all the bad reviews we found, and it's low overall rating on pinside. But it was loaded with cool mechs and toys, and actually features a very deep ruleset, complete with 3 wizard modes. And Glenn definitely loves this often-hated game....but we do s...
2025-02-1048 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 68 - Band PinsSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis episode is all about the history of the licensed band pin starting way back in the late 1970s, with a couple dots in the 1990s, and finally into the explosion of them in the 2010s until today.We talk about the effect it has had on the industry, and why, love 'em or hate 'em, old man band pins are here to stay.Warning: If you don't know by now, the explicit warning you see listed in your podcatcher is there because we swear when...
2025-02-031h 09
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 67 - Pinball Seller's GuideSupport the show: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis is the finale episode of our 3-part trilogy of episodes that began with the first episode: Pinball Buyer's Guide, continued in our episode Pinball Maintenance, and finally culminates in this episode right here.Alex and Alex talk about coming full circle on a pinball machine and give you some hot tips for kicking that giant box of lights down the road.And if you're new to the show: we do all of that whilst swearing. This is your warning.Support the show
2025-01-2735 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 66 - Pinball MaintenanceSupport the show: ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastCompanion piece episode here from Alan to talk about how to maintain that pinball machine that Alex convinced y'all to buy in the Pinball Buyer's guide episode.There's a lot of bad or wildly unnecessary advice and ridiculous precautions out there on the forums, and it can get confusing fast as others loudly argue amongst themselves about what cleaner is or is not appropriate. Do we replace the balls immediately out of the box? Every 300 plays? Every 10k plays?And so, we wanted to make this episode t...
2025-01-2050 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 65 - Die on this Hill: Wheel of FortuneSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastScott & Ryan, the creators of the Pinball Map are back on the show to defend Scott's DOTH game: Stern's 2007 machine, Wheel of Fortune. It's got a tweaked lower playfield, a theme nobody asked for, and code that was never completed. But Scott loves this game. So listen up as Ryan and Alan read him all the bad reviews pulled from the internet and get his reaction to the haters.Obligatory: Yes, we swear on this show by adults for adults.Support the show
2025-01-1345 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 64 - Pinball Buyer's GuideSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis is a sequel to our earlier episode 16 - So You Wanna Buy a Pinball Machine? And in that episode (which we HIGHLY recommend listening to first) we mostly discuss a lot of the things that we wish we knew before we bought our first pinball machines, including a lot of the downsides that you might not even be thinking about.But this episode is a deeper dive taking the plunge, and in particular, buying used games, which is a whole lot different than buying new machines directly f...
2025-01-0654 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 63 - The Pinball MapSupport the Show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis episode features an interview with Ryan and Scott, two regular guys and former roommates who created the Pinball Map all the way back in 2008 right here in Portland, Oregon.Alan talks to Ryan and Scott about the history of this incredible resource, and they talk about the expansions to bring in more cities and regions, the development of the app, the changes in features over the years, and we end the episode discussing some fun stats and some talk about angry operators.You can and...
2024-12-3046 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 62 - Fan LayoutsSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis episode is all about the hotly debated definition of what a fan layout is, what it isn't, whether they are good, or whether they are cookie cutter derivative BS. We discuss the history of them, some of the most famous ones, and some of the designers most associated with them. And at the end of the episode we even argue about some "modified" fan layouts that really seem to kick the old hornets nest amongst public opinions on how broad or how tightly a fan layout's definition should be.
2024-12-2342 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 61 - Tournament PinballSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis episode, we are joined by our friend Isaac Ruiz, a legendary tournament director and organizer from the Portland scene to discuss the rise of tournament pinball here, breaking the IFPA rankings systems in the early 2010s, developing Brackelope, the world's first software for running pinball tournaments, some format explanations for new players curious about all the jargon, and some advice for players who want to TD their own tournaments in their own local scenes.But... we are adults, and as such, we swear sometimes. Just like every...
2024-12-1659 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 60 - Die on This Hill: World Poker TourSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastLocal Deathsave enthusiast Jeff Hart returns to the show to defend Stern's 2006 game, World Poker Tour against all the internet haters. This is one of those games with a star studded design team, loaded with mechanical features, and yet it still is widely derided by many pinheads.Jeff is here to set the record straight, and respond to the all the criticisms. Maybe it's time for you to give WPT another chance.Warning: our language gets spicy on occasion. Support the show
2024-12-0956 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 59 - How to Run an Independent Pinball BarSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis episode Alan recaps the seminar that he was a panelist on for the 40th Annual Pinball Expo in Chicago and sort of reprises his notes for you all to listen to.The panelists were 3 independent Arcade Bar Owners, Zespy of Logan Arcade in Chicago, Rachel & Cale of the Electric Bat Arcade in Tempe, and your very own Rhodesie & Alan of Wedgehead in Portland.The topic was "How to Run a Successful Independent Arcade Bar", and Alan is here chatting with the Waterboy, trying to give...
2024-12-0255 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 58 - DEATHSAVESSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastWe are joined on this episode by admitted cheater, local Portland player Jeff Hart, to discuss the dark arts of pinball: The deathsave and it's little brother, the bangback.We discuss the moves, the ethics of doing them from a player's and operator's perspective, and why they aren't allowed in tournament play. Alan argues for changes from the manufacturer to disable them, and Alex outs himself as a proud cheater too.Warning: this is a show made by adults, and adult language is used throughout.
2024-11-2544 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 57 - Pinball AirBnB / DOTH Road KingsSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode we interview a fan of the show Mike, who runs a cool AirBnB in Troy, NY near Albany. He has 15 pinball machines in the apartment that are all on free play for the guests, and we talk with him about this unusual but very cool way to operate pinball in an unconventional way.Mike tells us how he got started collecting, and then the decision to open up his collection to guests in the basement apartment under his home.Mike also defends 1986's R...
2024-11-1851 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 56 - One Year Anniversary Q+ASupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode we are belatedly celebrating our one year anniversary of hosting this weekly pinball show.We asked y'all to submit some questions, and boy did you! We try and answer all of your questions that you sent in to us, although a few came in after we recorded this episode and we will save them for another time.Thank you to each and every one of you that has listened to our show over the last year plus, and thanks for sharing us with y...
2024-11-111h 34
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 55 - Operator Spotlight: Quarters SLCSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastOur buddy Mike from Quarters and Quarters Sugarhouse joins us on the show to discuss operating two arcade bars in Salt Lake City, Utah.We talk about his start in the bar business, and all the unique challenges that running a bar in the state of Utah entails. Mike enlightens us on his local pinball scene and speaks about the decision to open a second location in the same city.Note: We are adults, so we swear a little bit.Support the show
2024-11-0449 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 54 - Pinball Metamorphosis: The System 11 Era Pt.2Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThis is the second part of our series about the groundbreaking Williams System 11 games, and we discuss the second half of them, including games from the recently acquired Bally pinball division which injected even more creative juice into the parent company.Ty Palmer is back for part two, and we talk about games like Whirlwind, Elvira and the Party Monsters, Diner, and Dr. Dude amongst all the others, and further discuss the many design tropes that emerged from this era including which ones stuck and which ones fell...
2024-10-2845 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 53 - Pinball Metamorphosis: The System 11 Era Pt.1Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastOur good friend and solid state pinball guru, Ty Palmer joins us for the first episode in our two part series on the Williams System 11 platform, a pinball board set and software framework that massively changed the game of pinball.Larry Demar designed and engineered this groundbreaking system, and programmed many of the best games from this era too. It spanned 5 years from 1986 to 1991, and includes 30 pinball machines.We discuss the first 15 of them in this episode including highlights like High Speed, Pinbot, Banzai Run, Grand L...
2024-10-2146 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 52 - Gateway GamesSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode Alan and Alex discuss the best games to trick your normie friends and family into liking and playing pinball. We discuss the parameters of what we think makes a great gateway game, what makes a bad gateway game, and tips for making their first time playing more fun.We are also now accepting questions for our 1 year anniversary episode, so send all your questions or comments that you want us to read and discuss on that episode to wedgeheadinfo@gmail.comNote: We're n...
2024-10-1454 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 51 - How to Draw Dinosaurs w/ Johnny CrapSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode, freelance pinball artist Jonathan Bergeron joins us from his studio in Montreal, Canada to discuss his life as a commercial artist doing gig posters and merch designs for bands like Mastodon, Guns 'n Roses, Suicidal Tendencies, Judas Priest, and many many more, as well as how he got pulled into the pinball industry as the artist for Stern's Jurassic Park.He did 5 different dinosaur themed art packages for all the different editions of that game, and we discuss his transition into doing art for something as...
2024-10-0749 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 50 - The 90s Pinball Renaissance Pt.2 w/ Roger SharpeSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastThe man/myth/legend Roger Sharpe is back again on the show to speak more about the pinball renaissance of the 1990s. In this second episode we dive more into some of the many people that made these games special.We talk about designers like Steve Ritchie, Pat Lawlor, and Dennis Nordman. Programmers like Larry DeMar, Lyman Sheats, and Dwight Sullivan, as well as the sound design and musical compositions of Chris Granner amongst others. Roger tells us some fantastic stories of licensing, the industry competition at the ti...
2024-09-301h 21
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 49 - The 90s Pinball Renaissance Pt.1 w/ Roger SharpeSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastAlan and Alex are joined on the show once again by Roger Sharpe, aka the 'Man Who Saved Pinball' to discuss his career at Williams from 1988-1999 as the Marketing Director. Roger tells us some great stories about getting hired, the merger of Bally into Williams, his role in licensing games, and more.And we discuss a lot about the different technological advances that made this era of games so dynamic and interesting, from the software and rules, to the DMD display, to the big mechanical toys that w...
2024-09-231h 16
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 48 - Insider ConnectedSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastAlan and Alex are joined on the show by their friend Tyler White from LA to discuss Stern's Insider Connected platform, and why he loves to use it, and how he wants to see it grow into the future.Stern's IC is a feature that has been on all their games since Godzilla (2021), and has retrofit kits to connect all their Spike 2 games going back to Batman '66 (2016).We discuss what the new platform has meant through the eyes of players and operators, and how connecting...
2024-09-1658 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 47 - Gottlieb vs. Paramount PicturesSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode, our friend and member of our local Portland Pinball scene, Nate Tayloe joins us on the show to educate us on the weird case where Gottlieb chose to sue Paramount Pictures over alleged copyright and trademark infringement due to the inclusion of Gottlieb's "Silver Slugger" pinball machine in the 2000 movie, "What Women Want" starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt.Nate learned about this case while he was in law school, and he wanted to bring this story of the case to our show, and discuss...
2024-09-0939 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 46 - Die on this Hill: Rocky & BullwinkleSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastTy Ueda from Pop's Pinball Parlor in Boston, Ma. is back to defend another game on the show, this time it's 1993's Rocky & Bullwinkle and Friends!Released by Data East and designed by frequent DOTH designer extraordinaire, Tim Seckel, this game probably barely qualifies as it seems to sit somewhere in the middle of truly hated or truly respected. But Ty is an excitable boy and he LOVES this game so we thought it would be fun to read him all the bad reviews we could find.
2024-09-0257 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 45 - Pinball Art Director w/ Greg FreresSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastWe're joined again on the show by Greg Freres whom we spoke to in the last episode, about the legendary Bally Art Department of the early solid state era. But in this episode we focus our discussions on his ascension to head of the art department at Williams/Bally after the 1988 merger, guiding them through their wild 1990s pinball renaissance until they closed their doors in 1999.After about a decade in between of working in videogames and freelancing, he returned to pinball as the new art director at St...
2024-08-261h 13
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 44 - The Notorious Bally Art Department w/ Greg FreresSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode, Alan and Alex are joined on the show by long time pinball artist Greg Freres, and they discuss Greg's time working in the late 1970s and early 1980s art department at Bally, a truly remarkable time period for pinball art.Greg tells us all about the different processes that revolutionized the industry, working under art director Paul Faris, and the fraternity bond that he shared with Paul, Kevin O'Connor, Margaret Hudsen, Dave Christensen, Tony Ramunni, and Pat McMahon.Greg tells us some great...
2024-08-1952 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 43 - MEGALOCATIONS!Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this MEGA sized episode of the podcast, Alan and Alex discuss the rise and increase in the number of pinball MEGALOCATIONS with 100+ machines.We discuss traveling to these pinball destinations, what to expect playing massive collections in warehouse buildings, and talk about our own experiences at some of these locations such as Past Times, Next Level, Pacific Pinball Museum, and the Pinball Hall of Fame.There's some very cool and massive pinball locations popping up around the world, and we talk about them in this...
2024-08-121h 00
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 42 - Die on this Hill: Sega GodzillaSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastSean Irby, homebrew pinball designer from our last episode rejoins the show to defend his "Die on this Hill" game: Sega's Godzilla.Before Stern released their Godzilla to a near deafening roar of approval, Gary's previous pinball venture had a much less successful go at a Godzilla game, based on the similarly ill - fated Godzilla movie starring Mathew Broderick in 1998.The contrast between the reception of these two pins is STARK, to say the least. So listen as Sean defends this original Godzilla pinball machine a...
2024-08-0537 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 41 - Homebrew GamesSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode, Alan and Alex are joined on the show by Sean Irby, a northwest pinball neighbor from Seattle to discuss the making and development of homebrew pinball machines, AKA making your own pinball machine.Over the last 5 years, the homebrew pinball community has exploded thanks to the availability of boards, mission pinball framework, and the online community surrounding these tools.Sean built his own pinball machine, Eight Ball Beyond, a spiritual successor to the trilogy of Eight Ball games made by Bally, and he...
2024-07-2940 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 40 - Die on this Hill: HookSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this special edition of our popular 'Die on this Hill' series, Alan teams up with his buddy AJ, the owner and operator of the Flip a Coin Arcade, to defend Data East's Hook.Alex is there as the resident hater on the show, and he GLEEFULLY reads AJ and Alan an avalanche of awful reviews scoured from the depths of the internet.Buckle up, this one is a wild ride.But we do use some choice and tasty adult language throughout the episode...
2024-07-2246 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 39 - Operator Spotlight: Flip a CoinSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastWe are joined on the show by Adam 'AJ' Jordan, owner and operator of the 'Flip a Coin Arcade' that they built in the basement of his girlfriend's bakery, the 'Bite Me Cake Company' in Pueblo, Colorado.We talk about building a scene in a small town, taking a leap in the middle of covid, and how his day job as an autobody repair guy has bled over into his operating of pins, including spraying new clearcoats and repainting old cabinets in the booth.AJ is...
2024-07-1545 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 38 - Die on this Hill: Orbitor 1Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastOur pal Jeff Johnsen, the operator of Walt's in LA, is back on the show to defend the last pinball machine that the original Stern Electronics company ever made, Orbitor 1.Jeff tells us about the historical significance of the game, including the two pinball outsiders and NASA engineers, who brought their concept and ideas for an entirely new play experience to a company under duress, and convinced them to take the leap and manufacture one of the most hated pinball machines of all time in the process.
2024-07-0838 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 37 - Operator Spotlight: Walt'sSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastWe speak with Jeff Johnsen, owner and operator of Walt's Bar in LA's Eagle Rock neighborhood about how his father taught him and his brother how to work on games as kids, almost blowing themselves up in the process.We talk about the LA pinball scene, pricing games, giving up his route, and how to properly rehab an old plumbing supply store into an iconic LA bar, replete with 10 vintage pins.Join us for a chat with one of the wildest pinball operators we have ever...
2024-07-0143 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 36 - Die on this Hill: Lethal Weapon 3Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastPinball restoration artist Ashley Ludwig (@ludwigsynopsis) is back on the show to defend her favorite trashy 90s pin, Lethal Weapon 3.Made by Data East in 1992, and based on the hit series of odd couple buddy cop films, Ashley passionately tells us why she thinks that LW3 is actually better than the Addams Family, and we confront her with the heap of bad reviews we found for it all over the internet refuting her claim.Obligatory swear word warning here: we cuss a little bit.
2024-06-2442 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 35 - Payment SystemsSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastEver wanted to know why operators choose to use quarters vs tokens? Or why so many large arcades have ditched coins altogether and installed card readers on their games? Or why Wedgehead moved over to a freeplay model?Then this episode is for you. Alan and Alex discuss each payment system in depth and outline the pros and cons of each from both the operator and consumer's point of views. There's a reason for every decision, and it's usually not because your local operator is a crook.
2024-06-1754 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 34 - Pinball RestorationSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode Alan and Alex are joined on the show by Ashley Ludwig (@ludwigsynopsis on instagram) to discuss the finer points of restoring old pinball machines.Ashley restores old pinball machines full time in Rochester, NY and she enlightens us on the skill and craftsmanship it takes to get to the level at which she operates.Make sure to follow her on social media so you can catch regular glimpses of her incredible work and talent....but the three of us are adults...
2024-06-1051 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 33 - Die on this Hill: A Nightmare on Elm StreetSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIan Matheson, owner and operator of Propeller Arcade comes back onto the show to defend his love of all things Freddy Kreuger, but especially his love for Gottlieb's 1994 pinball machine, A Nightmare on Elm Street.Hear Ian passionately defend Freddy as a great gateway game, with incredible theme integration as Alan reads him scores of bad reviews for the game that he pulled from the depths of the internet....don't forget, we use adult language.Support the show
2024-06-0354 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 32 - Stern's 'Miracle' YearSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIt's the year 1980, and the US Olympic Hockey team shocks the world and beats the Soviet team in a stunning 4-3 upset in Lake Placid, NY during the height of the cold war.But another miracle happens in pinball that same year too, as a fledgling Stern Electronics releases 9 excellent machines in 1980. They were the clear last place manufacturer behind Bally, Williams, and Gottlieb, but in 1980 Stern makes an unbelievable run of machines, a run that we think has never been bested by anyone.Alas, even th...
2024-05-2757 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 31 - Operator Spotlight: Propeller ArcadeSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode Alan sits down to talk with Ian Matheson, operator at Propeller arcade inside of Propeller Brewing in Halifax, Canada.We talk about how he got started, including some incredible stories about the old school underground Nova Scotia pinball scene before opening his public arcade which include stories of setting machines on fire in the front yard, peeing in sinks, and drinking beers while blasting Van Halen.But in case that description doesn't hint at the content enough, we do swear occasionally throughout the...
2024-05-2053 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 30 - Throwback GamesSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode, Alan and Alex discuss the outlier machines released in the last 7 years without ramps, and with simpler rulesets.We talk about Total Nuclear Annihilation, Beatles, Bond 60th, and Pulp Fiction, and why we love seeing the variety added to modern pinball offerings.But sometimes we use swear words.Support the show
2024-05-1345 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 29 - Modern PinballSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode we finally talk in depth about "Modern" pinball, where it started, what defines the modern era, and the different innovations or changes to the classic game that we all know and love.For all the listeners out there that have been asking us to talk more about modern games, this episode is for you. And if you want to hear more about modern pinball and enjoy this show, there are literally dozens of other pinball pods out there that almost exclusively discuss all t...
2024-05-061h 00
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 28 - Die on this Hill: Sharkey's ShootoutSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this edition of our popular "Die on this Hill" series, we are rejoined on the show by Mitch Curtis, the operator known as 'Pinball Over Boston' as he jumps onto the show to defend one of his favorite underappreciated games, 2000's Sharkey's Shootout made by the fledgling Stern Pinball.Mitch is a very passionate boy, and speaks at length about how much he loves this old/new mashup game, so much so that he even filmed himself giving a tutorial on this game years ago! https://www.y...
2024-04-2937 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 27 - Operator Spotlight: Pinball Over BostonSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode of our 'Operator Spotlight' series Alan and Alex speak with Mitch Curtis of Pinball Over Boston, about his decade of running a pinball route in the Boston area. We cover what it was like starting out, how he grew it, how he handled the covid 19 shutdowns, and what it's like for him nowadays on the other side.We talk about his locations Flat Top Johnny's, Roxy's, and Double Bull Taphouse, and the transition from part time to full time operator, and managing 70 amusement devices across a...
2024-04-2251 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 26 - Die on this Hill: Space JamSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this edition of our "Die on this Hill" series, John Dozier of Inner Orbit Pinball rejoins the show and steps up to defend Sega's 1996 pinball machine based on the hit movie, Space Jam!This game is actually the LOWEST rated game that we have featured thus far on the show, and the internet has some strong opinions!And despite this being a family friendly theme, we definitely use some adult language during our discussion. This is your warning. Support the show
2024-04-1540 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 25 - Operator Spotlight: Inner OrbitSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn the latest addition of our Operator Spotlight series, Alan speaks with John Dozier of Inner Orbit pinball about his pinball route based in Springfield Missouri. John began operating pinball machines about 10 years ago, and was drawn in due to a familiar refrain of the modern pinball operator - there just weren't any good machines to play in his area.Hear about John's move from player, to part time operator, to full time operator, and now finally a partner in the 1984 Arcade in Branson.We discuss t...
2024-04-0848 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 24 - Pinball SetupSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn what will surely be the most controversial episode of the podcast, Alan and Alex discuss all the different ways that people can choose to customize the setup of their pinball machines.Pitch, tilts, outlanes, rubber types, toy and lighting mods, as well as software settings, we go through them all. We discuss the differences in setups, and we share our preferences for each category, whilst acknowledging that others are free to choose how to setup up their own games in their own ways.There is n...
2024-04-0100 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 23 - How to Talk to an OperatorSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode we discuss how to get to know your friendly neighborhood pinball operator, including tips for making a good first impression, and how to find the proper channels in which to communicate with them about machine malfunctions.Alan speaks about it from the Operator's point of view, while Alex shares his insights as an expert Operator Whisperer on how to befriend these strange and mythical creatures.What to report, how to report, and reminders that operators are people too to help you foster better...
2024-03-2547 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 22 - Die on this Hill: SinbadSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastRachel and Cale from the Electric Bat join us on the show once again, and they are back to defend their favorite Gottlieb System 1 game: Sinbad!Listen to us discuss the merits of this first generation solid state effort from the kings of the EM era, and respond to all the hater reviews that we scrounged up on the internet....obligatory warning for adult language.Support the show
2024-03-1833 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 21 - Harry Williams: Pinball Prophet w/ Roger SharpeSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode we are joined by a very special guest, the man who saved pinball with a single shot, and who wrote the first published book on the history of pinball, Mr. Roger Sharpe.https://wedgeheadpdx.com/podcasts/ Link is to some bonus materials on our website to see all the games that we are talking about in this episode.Roger is a legend in the pinball world, most it well documented elsewhere, but he joined us on the podcast to talk about a different...
2024-03-111h 16
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 20 - Operator Spotlight: Electric Bat ArcadeSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode, Alan and Alex are joined on the show by Rachel and Cale, owners and operators of the Electric Bat Arcade in Tempe, Arizona. We discuss the Phoenix Valley pinball scene, the history of the Bat, their legendary Tuesday night league that regularly draws 100+ players, operator pet peeves, splits, tokens, and much more.Join us for this in depth look at another very cool operator and listen to us talk about the pinball operating business and compare some regional differences between our scenes....we a...
2024-03-0449 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 19 - Die on this Hill: Bad CatsSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode, Jessica DeNardo from Barrels of Fun pinball returns to the show to defend one of her favorite games of all time, 1989's Bad Cats designed by Barry Oursler with art and theme concept by the inimitable Python Anghelo.Listen to Jessica explain what makes Bad Cats a great game, and respond to all the internet haters!Meow Meow Meow Meow....we're adults, so here's the standard warning that we may curse occasionally throughout the episode.Support the show
2024-02-2629 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 18 - The Susan B. Anthony Years / BallySupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode, Alan and Alex are joined by their good friend and staunch solid state pinball evangelist, Ty Palmer. Ty is a fiend for early solid state machines, and will happily go weeks or months without playing a single game newer than 1985.For his first appearance on the show, we decided to narrow down this era to one manufacturer, Bally, and keep it to the machines they released during the rise of the SBA dollar coin, and how this decision by the US treasury impacted pinball. This a...
2024-02-1955 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 17 - Extra Button GimmicksSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode of the podcast, Alan and Alex are joined by their friend Jessica DeNardo, a multi talented woman who hosts her own pinball podcast (the Pinball Podcast), makes and sells her own pinball inspired clothing (Soft Plunge), founded the Portland chapter of the Belles & Chimes, worked as a pinball tech in Florida, and has recently moved to Houston to work on the production and assembly line at Barrels of Fun Pinball Company helping to manufacture their first pinball machine 'Labyrinth'The three of us talk in...
2024-02-1240 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 16 - So You Wanna Buy a Pinball Machine?Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode Alan and Alex discuss the most common new post on any pinball forum, subreddit, or facebook group: Buying your own pinball machine to put into your house.This episode is meant to give a better, more whole picture of owning pinball machines. Alex is a home collector, and Alan owns Wedgehead as an operator, and they discuss why you don't need your own machine to enjoy the hobby of pinball, but if you do want to own them, you are gonna have to learn how...
2024-02-0540 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 15 - Die on this Hill: No FearSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastOn this episode, Alex sits in the hot seat to defend his love of 1995's No Fear: Dangerous Sports. A divisive game design by the king of flow, Steve Ritchie.Hear Alan and Alex discuss the game, and read and react to some bad reviews they found for the game. Alex owns this game, and he's VERY passionate about it, so tune in and see why you might need to give No Fear another chance. ...we are adults, and passionate pinheads, so there is some adult lan...
2024-01-2939 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 14 - So You Wanna Play Pinball?In this episode of the podcast Alan and Alex reminisce over how they got into the hobby, and dive into some conversation aimed at newbies to the hobby who have gotten bit by the pinball bug. We give some advice about proper etiquette, how not to sound like a dipshit on location, the joys of playing with others, and how to become a better player through personal accountability and the playing of older solid state and electromechanical games. Listen to us remember our younger selves, and hopefully steer you away from some of the same pitfalls.
2024-01-2241 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 13 - SuperpinsSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this widebody episode of the Wedgehead pinball podcast, Alan and Alex welcome the return of Chris Rhodes back to the show. He is the other half of Wedgehead, and he is back to discuss the 7 widebody pinball machines released by Bally/Williams during 1993 and 1994.We cover the definition of a "Superpin" and have a discussion about about each game, and what we like or dislike about each one. We also give a unique award to each game, and at the end of the episode, you can find o...
2024-01-1551 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 12 - Die on this Hill: WWF Royal RumbleSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn the 3rd installment of our "Die on this Hill" series, we welcome back Greg Dunlap, former pinball programmer whom we interviewed on Episode 11, to defend Data East's 1994 game 'WWF Royal Rumble.Hear why Greg thinks this an underrated game, and hear our reactions to the pile of bad reviews I found for it all over the internet....includes some adult language.Support the show
2024-01-0828 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 11 - Life of a Former Pinball ProgrammerSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode, Alan and Alex are joined by Greg Dunlap, a computer programmer that worked at both Bally/Williams doing slot machines and then later at Pat Lawlor Designs, working on programming lightshows and animations for Early Stern Pinball machine titles like Ripley's Believe It or Not, Monopoly, Nascar, and Roller Coaster Tycoon. Hear about how a lifelong pinball fan becomes a a part of the industry he loves, and about what it was actually like.Greg is a great example of one of the hundreds of...
2024-01-0143 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 10 - Die on this Hill: Popeye Saves the EarthSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode, Alan speaks with Daniel and Ty from Pop's Pinball Parlor in Massachusetts about why they unironically love the 1994 Bally Williams Superpin: Popeye Saves the Earth.This is the second edition of our "Die on this Hill" series, and I give them the floor to explain themselves about why they enjoy this terrible game so much, before reading them a slew of bad reviews and then get their reactions.It's a good time, but we are adults and sometimes we use swear words.
2023-12-2544 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 9 - Operator Spotlight: Pop's Pinball ParlorSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode Alan interviews Daniel and Ty, two buddies and pinball operators from New England. We speak about how they started operating games, what types of games they choose to operate, how to find locations and how they keep them happy, as well as some more nuts and bolts talk about fees and permits for running a route in the Boston suburbs and townships.Plus we get to talk about their flagship location, Pop's Pinball Parlor in Somerville, Mass. and talk about the vibe of the place, a...
2023-12-1844 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 8 - Pinball Terminology Explained (new players start here)Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastSample DefinitionPop Bumper : The round (usually) mechanism on the playfield of a pinball machine, often found in clusters, that contracts when the ball hits it, and slams it off into another direction, typically into another pop or two on the way out of the cluster. It's a randomizing mech found on most pinball machines from the 1950s until today. This episode is here for some players who enjoy pinball, but are new to the hobby and don't yet understand all the nerdy pinball jargon that...
2023-12-1140 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 7 - Die on this Hill: Gilligan's IslandSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode, we are doing a special new segment which we hope to continue in the future. It's called "I'm gonna die on this hill!" and it's where we have a guest on to speak about and defend a "bad" game that they unironically love. In this first DOTH episode we bring Zoe Vrabel back to talk about her DOTH game, Gilligan's Island.Tune in to hear her explain (against all odds) why Gilligan is actually a great machine that is wrongly crapped on by th...
2023-12-0425 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 6 - Howdy Pardner!Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastSpecial guest Zoe Vrabel joins Alan and Alex as they discuss the history of the popular casual team based pinball tourney format "Howdy Pardner!"We discuss what it is, how it works, and what makes it so much different than standard pinball tournaments, and describe how Alan created the format from scratch to host each Thursday night at Wedgehead.Zoe speaks from her background as a top IFPA player and tournament director, and why Howdy is such a great breath of fresh air into organized pinball...
2023-11-2737 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 5 - Video ModesSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode Alan and Alex talk about what Alex likes to describe as the "best thing that has ever happened to pinball!". Hear about what they are, when they started, and whose fault they are.We discuss our opinions on them in general and talk about some of our favorites, and which ones should be deleted for good.Are they fun and engaging, or inherently a bad idea?...also we're adults, we swear sometimes. Support the show
2023-11-2034 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 4 - The Brief History of WedgeheadSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode Alan is joined by his business partner Chris Rhodes, and they form like Voltron into Wedgehead. We discuss how we met, the beginning of our pinball bar, the evolution and challenges presented by covid and the economy, and about what we feel makes us different from the rest with some occasional colorful swears.Disclaimer: This episode was recorded in far from ideal circumstances, in our bar with makeshift mics, due to scheduling limitations with myself and Rhodesie. Thus, the raw recording was extremely noisy and ec...
2023-11-1331 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 3 - Boutique ManufacturersSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this episode Alan and Alex talk about the rise of the little guys in pinball, and what it means to have so many small and independent pinball makers. We discuss our experiences with some of these manufacturers and their games from both the operator and the home collector's perspective, and we talk about some of the positive and some of the negative aspects of this rapid rise in small scale pinball manufacturing.It's a brave new world in the number of active pinball manufacturers, and we talk a...
2023-11-0632 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 2 - The Ritchie Brothers Steve vs. MarkSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastIn this double length episode Alan and Alex talk about the brothers Ritchie, and discuss their favorite games from each brother, their individual styles and trademarks, address the Ritchie haters, and Alan tells a couple of anecdotes from the time he met them both at Texas Pinball Festival in 2019. Hear us discuss the legacy of these two talented brothers, and compare their catalogue to one another, with the occasional curse word thrown in because we are some passionate boys, and talking about the Ritchie brothers gets us fired u...
2023-10-3051 min
Wedgehead Pinball PodcastEpisode 1 - Lightning FlippersSupport the show: https://ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcastAlan and Alex discuss the curious case of the Williams lightning flippers that were developed and used on a few games in the early 1990s. Learn about the history of them, what games came with them, and why they're extremely divisive amongst pinball players. We give our takes and opinions on them, and chat about what other games that didn't come with lightning flippers might be improved by installing them with some occasional swearing throughout. Support the show
2023-10-2332 minThe Pinball PodcastEpisode 136 – Wedgehead
Jessica sits down to talk with Alan of Wedgehead out of Portland, Oregon. Wedgehead is a well-known location in the pinball world, especially if you’re out in the Pacific Northwest area. And perhaps as famous as their well cared for pins, Wedgehead offers killer merch that you’re see to see at any pinball show across the country.
After listening to Alan and Jess talk pinball, look Wedgehead up online, here: https://wedgeheadpdx.com/
2021-08-0900 min